Weighting device



Sept. 10, 1963 P. L. GAGNON WEIGHTING DEVICE Filed March 30, 1961 PAUL LEO GAGNON IN V EN TOR.

BY $36M, J m/MM QM,

ATTORNEYS 3', l 331 Patented Sept. 10, 1963 ice 3,103,199 WEIGHTING DEVICE Paul L. Gagnon, 24 Harrington Terrace, West Orange, NJ. Filed Mar. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 99,449 14 Claims. (Cl. 114-221) My invention relates to a weighting device for a messenger or heaving line. More particularly, my .invention relates to a Weighting device for a'heaving line 'which device can readily be seen in the dark.

For many years it has been the standard practice in [the marine industry including all merchant ships, tugs,

barges and other such vessels to employ some type of weight on the end of a heaving line in order to help is extremely hazardous to employ such a heaving line when mooring during the hours of darkness and in fact many people employed in the marine industry have been severely injured when they have been hit by a monkey fist. In addition to the safety hazards to personnel, due to the very nature of monkey fists, the loss due to property damage, such as broken windows, has also been high.

A secondary problem relating to personnel hazards during the hours of darkness aside from being hit directly by a monkey fist occurs when the heaving line is thrown in a direction away from the man receiving the line thus requiring him to grope with his hands in the dark in order to find the line.

It is an object of my invention to providea weighting device for heaving lines which can be readily seen in the dark.

It is another object of my invention to provide a weighting device for heaving lines which is composed of a material having resilient properties which will not readily injure personnel or damage property.

These and other objects of my invention will become evident from the description which follows.

Briefly the weighting device of my invention com- .prises a generally hollow, rounded, closed, buoyant body having indentations in the surface thereof. Phos- Iphorescent or luminous material is placed in the surface indentations and such indentations containing the phosphorescent or luminous material are provided in sufiicient number and disposed about the surface of the body such that the phosphorescent or luminous material is visible when the weighting device is viewed from any direction. This device, as just described, is also provided with a means, such as an eye, for attaching a line to the weighting device.

Advantageously, in order to protect the phosphorescent or luminous material from sea water, it can be applied -to the surface indentations and then covered with a In another em-' United States Patent Oil which my device is subject.

relatively protected location in which to place the phosphorescent material on the surface of my weighting de vice so that such phosphorescent material will not be wornaway by the normal handling and abrasion to Second, in the embodiments of my invention in which the phosphorescent material is covered with a transparent or translucent coating, the phosphorescent material is applied to. the interior of the body member or disposed in preformed transparent ,or translucent. passageways, the transparent or translucent portions of the body. member overlying the phosphorescent material are protected from abrasion which would mar such surfaces.

The body member of my device can be fabricated from any suitable material such as wood, rubber or plastic or .a combination of such materials. Preferably, the body member of my device is fabricated from a soft, resilient resin material such as poly-butadiene, bu'tadienestyrene copolymers and .polyamide resins. Particularly advantageous materials which can be employed include polyethylene and polypropylene.

The body member of my device can be constructed i such that the exterior surface of the body member is divided by the indentations into raised lands and depressed grooves in which the lands comprise a major portion ofthe exterior surface of the body member.

Alternatively, the construction can be such that the grooves comprise a major, portion of the exterior surface of the body member. The grooves can also be interconnected so as to provide one continuous groove ,in the exterior surface of the body member.

The eye means for attaching a heaving line to the device of my invention can be an integral part of the body. member. Thus, when the body member is fabricated from a resin material the eye means can be molded along with the body member. The eye means can also be a separate member bonded to the body member or attached by mechanical means such as a pin or socket or by being screwed into the body member.

opening as just described, the interior of the hollow body member can be filled with a solid porous material having a density'of less than about 0.5. As will be understood when the device of my invention is 04f such weight and volume that it will float in water the total Weight of the device can be increased by adding such solid porous material without substantially affecting the buoyantquality as a whole. Illustrative of the type of solid porous material- With which the hollow body member can be Wholly or'partially filled are kapok, polyurethane foam and foam rubbers.

The member comprising the closure means can be composed of any material adaptable to the particular closing or. sealing method which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Thus, for example, it can be composed of the same type of soft resilient material as the hollow body itself and sealed in place by any of the Well known waterinsolvuble organic bonding agents. Such member can also be composed of a more rigid material such as, polystyrene when it is held in sealing relation with said opening by snapon means. It is esirable however: to employ a material of substantial rigidity and strength in this member when such member includes both the closure means and the eye means for attaching a line.

The phosphorescent or luminous material employed in the device of my invention can be any of the well known compounds which exhibit the property of luminescence after removal of the exciting agent. Preferably, such compounds are of the type exhibiting the property of photo-luminescence or radio-luminescence. Particularly advantageous compounds are those exhibiting the property of photo-luminescence including sulfides of calcium, barium, zinc and strontium either alone or with a radioactive substance or with an activator, such as strontium sulfide activated with bismuth. Other such compounds include the silicates of zinc, calcium and cadmium activated with manganese, zinc silicate activated with bismuth and a small quantity of arsenic (AS cadmium borate activated with manganese, and tricalcium orthophosphate-calcium fluoride activated with antimony and manganese. Such compounds as mentioned above can be employed alone or can be in the form of a paint which is applied to the body member of the device of my invention.

The overall weight of the device of my invention is generally in the range of about 8 to ounces. Thus, a device according to my invention provides an adequate concentration of weight at the end of a heaving line in order to control the direction and distance of the line when heaved and yet is sufiiciently resilient and soft to prevent injury and damage and is of great enough volume for its weight thatit will float.

To illustrate more'lfiully the device of my invention reference is made to the attached drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partially section-ed view of an embodiment of the device of my invention.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of my invention.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 2 showing the section taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged, sectional view of a device similar to that of FIGURES 2 and 3 showing an alternate embodiment thereof.

FIGURE 1 shows a generally spherical body member 10 composed of a soft resilient'material such as polyethylene and enclosing an interior chamber '12. In the exterior surface of body member 10 are located a plurality of quasi spherical indentations 14. In each of the indentations 14 is deposited a quantity of phosphorescent or luminous material 16, such as phosphorescent paint containing a sulfide of calcium, barium or zinc. Also shown is a plastic eye bolt 18 aflixed to body member 10 at the upper end thereof.

In FIGURE 2 is shown a hollow body member 20 having an opening 22 in the upper end thereof. In the exterior surface of body member 20' are a plurality of vertically disposed indentations or grooves 24. Located on the exterior surface of hollow body member 20 near the lower end thereof is a horizontally disposed indentation or groove 26, which interconnects with vertical grooves 24. The grooves 24 and 26 thus define'a plurality of lands 28 on the exterior surface of body member 20. A quantity of phosphorescent or luminous material 29, such as a phosphorescent paint, is deposited in the grooves 24 and 26.

At the upper end of body member 20 and positioned about opening 22 is an annular bead 30'. Also shown in FIGURE 2 is sealing member 32 having a loop or eye member 34 attached at the upper surface of sealing member 32. As can be seen from the partially sectioned portion of sealing member 32, the under surface thereof isprovided with an annular groove 36 disposed adjacent the periphery of sealing member 32. The outer surface of annular groove 36 is'provided with an inwardly extending annular head 38. Thus it will be understood that when it is desired to seal the opening 22 in body member 20 with sealing member 32, the portion of the bottom surface of sealing member 32 enclosed within annular employed. As shown in this figure, the phospho re scent material 29 is disposed within vertical grooves 24 and is sealed therein by means of transparent film 40/ The transparent film 4t) can be applied as a strip and bonded to the body member 20 by any of the methods well known in the art. Alternatively, the transparent film 40 can be applied by spraying after the phosphorescent material 29 has been deposited in the grooves 24 and 26. In spraying on the film it may be necessary to applyseveral coatings in order to build up a transparent film 40 of sufficient thickness. It is also possible to bond a'strip of transparent film 40 in place over the grooves 24 and 26 leaving a space between the transparent film 40 and the bottom of the grooves 24 and 26 thereby defining a plurality of passageways or one continuous passageway within body member 20. These passageways can then be filled with-the phosphorescent material 29. In any event all that is necessary is to provide a transparent film 4% that will hold the phosphorescent material 2? in place and at the same time protect it from contact with injurious materials, eg salt Waten I As illustrated in this FIGURE 3 the lands 28 are of such shape and disposition with relation to grooves 24 that when resting or in contact with a flat surface only the lands 28 are in contact with the surface while the grooves 24 are removed therefrom thus keeping the phosphorescent material in a relatively protected position. It will be understood that'the lands 28 are also disposed so as to aiford similar protection to groove 26. As can be seen by referring to the portion of body member 20 shown in section, the interior chamber 42 is filled with a solidporous material44 such as those mentioned previously.

FIGURE 4 shows an embodiment of my invention in which the body member 20 has the same general configuration as in FIGURES 2 and- 3 including grooves 24 and lands 28. In this particular embodiment of my invention, however, it is required that the portions of body member 20 underlying the grooves 24 and 26 be composed of a transparent or translucent material. For ease of construction the entire body member 20 can be composed of such transparent or translucent material as illustrated in this figure. As mentioned above, the lands 28 are so shaped and disposed that they absorb all of the abrasion to which the device of my invention is subject. It Will be evident, therefore, that while the entire body member 20 may be initially transparent or translucent surface scratches on the lands 28 will soon render them opaque. Thus, it is economically advantageous to provide a coating of phosphorescent material 46 only on the portions of interior chamber 42 which underlies the grooves 24 and 26.

The coating of phosphorescent material 46 is shown underlying the grooves 24 in this figure.

In addition to the phosphorescent material employed to improve the visibility of my Weighting device during the hours of darkness, those portions of the body member other than the indentations or grooves can be brightly colored so as to improve the visibility of my' weighting device during daylight hours. Thus, in the embodiment of my invention illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, the portions of the body member 20 comprising lands 28 can be of a suitable bright color such as red or orange.

I claim: I

1. A weighting device for a heaving line which device includes an elongated, generally rounded, hollow, closed, resilient buoyant body member, said body member having means defining a plurality of indentations along the exterior surface of said body member thereby dividing said exterior surface of said body member into raised lands and depressed grooves, the portions of said body member "is viewed from any direct-ion, and eye means for attaching a line to said device.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said hollow body member includes an opening in one end thereof providing communication between the interior and exterior of said body member and in which said eye means for attaching a line includes closure means positioned to seal said opening.

3. The device of claim 2 in which said hollow body member is filled with a solid porous material having a density of less than about 0.5.

4. The device of claim 1 in which said lands comprise a major portion of said exterior surface of said body mem-. her and said grooves comprise a minor portion of said exterior surface of said body member.

5. The device of claim 1 in which said lands comprise a minor portion of said exterior surface of said body member and said grooves comprise a major portion of said exterior surface of said body member.

6. The device of claim 4 in which said grooves are interconnected.

7. The device of claim 5 in which said grooves are interconnected.

8. A weighting device for a heaving line which device includes an elongated, generally rounded, hollow, closed, resilient buoyant body member, said body member having means defining a plurality of indentations along the exterior surface of said body member thereby dividing said exterior surface of said body member into raised lands and depressed grooves, translucent means disposed completely within said indentations and spaced intermediate the top and bottom of said grooves thereby defining a plurality of passageways between said translucent means and the bottom of said grooves, said'passageways having phosphorescent material disposed therein, said grooves and passageways being sufiicient in number and positioned such that the phosphorescent material is visible when the weighting device is viewed from any direction, and eye means for attaching a line to said device.

9. The device of claim 8 in which said hollow body member includes an opening in one end thereof providing communication between the interior and exterior of said body member and in which said eye means for attaching a line includes closure means positioned to seal said opening.

10. The device of claim 9 in which said hollow body member is filled with a solid porous material having a density of less than about 0.5.

11. The device of claim 8 in which said lands comprise a major portion of said exterior surface of said body member and said grooves comprise a minor portion of said exterior surface of said body member.

:12. The device of claim 8 in which said lands comprise a minor portion of said exterior surface of said body member and said grooves comprise a major portion of said exterior surface of said body member.

13. The device of claim 11 in which said grooves and said passageways are interconnected.

14. The device of claim 12 in which said grooves and said passageways are interconnected.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,437,284 Wagner Nov. 28, 1922 1,622,421 Cofiield Mar. 29, 1927 1,950,933 Snell Mar. 13, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 341,674 reat Britain Jan. 22, 1931 

1. A WEIGHTING DEVICE FOR A HEAVING LINE WHICH DEVICE INCLUDES AN ELONGATED, GENERALLY ROUNDED, HOLLOW, CLOSED, RESILIENT BUOYANT BODY MEMBER, SAID BODY MEMBER HAVING MEANS DEFINING A PLURALITY OF INDENTATIONS ALONG THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID BODY MEMBER THEREBY DIVIDING SAID EXTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID BODY MEMBER INTO RAISED LANDS AND DEPRESSED GROOVES, THE PORTIONS OF SAID BODY MEMBER DEFINING SAID GROOVES BEING TRANSLUCENT, THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID BODY MEMBER UNDERLYING SAID GROOVES BEING COATED WITH A PHOSPHORESCENT MATERIAL, SAID GROOVES BEING SUFFICIENT IN NUMBER AND POSITIONED SUCH THAT THE PHOSPHORESCENT MATERIAL IS VISIBLE WHEN THE WEIGHTING DEVICE IS VIEWED FROM ANY DIRECTION, AND EYE MEANS FOR ATTACHING A LINE TO SAID DEVICE. 